Page 56 of Secrets on Ice

“I found my room,” Cassidy calls out. “It has a tub.” I smile at my best friend. “Have you chosen yet?” she asks me. I shake my head. “Well then, come on, let’s pick a room.”

She links arms with me and hauls me off to where the other three bedrooms are. The primary bedroom is on one side, and the kitchen, living and dining area, and the other three bedrooms are at the other end of the corridor.

“The spare bedroom should be our office, don’t you think?” Cassidy asks.

“Office?”

“Yeah, for Sullivan Black Designs.” I nod. “I know we don’t have clients yet, but we will. I’m manifesting that shit. This is it, Em. You and me living our teenage dream.” I smile at her, she’s right. This is what is important, us. “I have so many ideas on how I want to decorate the space.”

“Me too,” I tell her.

We spend the night one floor down at Emmett and Jo's, eating takeout. We’re going to stay there until we get some furniture. Sully’s gone back to his apartment to start packing things for the move.

“I can’t believe you guys have moved here permanently,” Jo says.

“It feels surreal at the moment,” I add.

“I’m so happy you were able to find something so close. Bet you are already thinking of ways to decorate your apartment.” Jo chuckles.

“So many ideas.” Cassidy smiles.

“Remind me to give you my credit card, Em, so you can go shopping. I know Sully gave his to Cass,” my brother says.

“You don’t have to,” I tell him.

“Your money's tied up in the divorce, and you're not sleeping on the floor."

“Thank you.”

"So just to confirm," Cassidy says, "two interior designers have just been handed two credit cards and one empty four-bedroom apartment."

Emmett looks a little pale.

“You did such a wonderful job on this place,” Jo adds.

“Maybe we do need to talk about a budget,” Emmett adds.

Which makes us all crack up laughing.

13

SULLY

Idon't recognize my own apartment. A week ago, this place was empty rooms and echoes. Tonight, there's a dining table long enough to seat the whole first line, lamps in corners where I didn't know lamps were needed, art on the walls, and an enormous rug that I was informed ties the room together and cost more than my first car. There are plants, living ones that filter the air.

The girls did all of it in a week, with two borrowed credit cards and a shared spreadsheet that I was shown once and never want to see again. Every day I'd come home from my old apartment, and something new would have appeared. A couch, a coffee machine with more settings than a spaceship, and matching towels.

Tonight we're showing it off. Everyone insisted we have a housewarming party to celebrate the girls and them moving here, especially before Fish and Collette’s wedding, which is happening next weekend. Emmett and Jo came up from one floor down carrying beer and champagne. Fish and Collette were with them from the same level with a plant, because apparently that's what people bring now. Pierre and Issy are still doing the newlywed thing where they always touch. Felix is fussing over Harper, who is on the good armchair with her feet up. She’s pregnant, and every time she winces, he is there anxiously.

The doorbell goes, and I open it to find half my team in the hallway. Bouch is in front holding a case of beer, Evan behind him with another one, and Nelly at the back holding a single candle.

"Housewarming gift," Nelly explains, handing it over like it's a trophy. "The woman in the shop said everybody likes vanilla."

"Thank you, Nelly, very thoughtful."

"See," he says to Bouch. "Thoughtful."

"We brought beer," Bouch says. "Beer is also thoughtful."